Friday, August 1, 2008
French Concession Quarter
Walking Tour 4
French Concession
Start: Xintiandi, Luwan District (Metro: Huangpi Nan Lu).
Finish: Hengshan Lu, Xuhui District (Metro: Hengshan Lu).
Time: 4 to 6 hours.
Best Times: Weekday mornings and mid-afternoons.
Worst Times: On weekends (especially Sun) and evenings many of these streets are quite crowded with local shoppers and visitors. Lunchtime (11:30am-2pm) also brings out big crowds.
History
Shanghai's French Concession, consisting of a corridor running from the lower Bund between today's Yan'an Lu and the Chinese Old Town west along Huaihai Lu, contains many of the city's most picturesque colonial mansions, parks, hotels, and town houses. The French arrived in 1846 and leased land just south of the British Concession's holdings. They established a series of fine residential neighborhoods west across today's Luwan District, branching off Huaihai Lu, the main avenue known in colonial times as Avenue Joffre. The concession's northern border, today's Yan'an Lu, was originally a creek named Yangjingbang, which was filled to become the street then known as Avenue Edouard VII. The streets in the long, sprawling settlement were lined with plane trees; the buildings, with their mansard roofs and shutters, resembled those of French towns of the time; and these neighborhoods, most now dating from the first 3 decades of the 1900s, remain much intact, although the modern construction boom has laid waste to considerable clusters of the French legacy. Still, especially in recent years, a concerted effort has been made to preserve and spruce up many charming blocks of the original French residences, open historic houses, and convert some of the surviving mansions and estates to fine restaurants and retail shops -- all making for a delightful, if spread out, stroll through colonial Shanghai. Refusing to join the International Concession formed in 1863 by the British and Americans, the French had their own electric power, bus system, and legal system within their 10-sq.-km (4-sq.-mile) quarter. It was a neighborhood that attracted not only the French, but international adventurers, Chinese gangsters, White Russian refugees, communist revolutionaries, and pimps and prostitutes as well. By the 1930s, the French were vastly outnumbered here, but their sense of style has endured.
From exit no. 1 of the Huangpi Nan Lu Metro head west, past the Shui On Center (no. 333). Turn left (south) at Madang Lu for 2 short blocks to:
1. Xin Tiandi (New Heaven and Earth)
Beginning at Taicang Lu, this 2-square-block pedestrian mall of cafes and boutiques is one of the hottest venues in ShanghaI, with its restored late colonial architecture known as shiku men (row houses with courtyards and stone frame gates), though it must be said that many of the buildings are new constructions done in the traditional style. It's all quite faux but very upscale and worth a stroll. In the evenings, you'll often see Chinese tour groups traipsing through. The Site of the First National Congress of the Communist Party (Huangpi Nan Lu 374) anchors its southeast corner in an original shiku men building.
Retrace your steps north to Huaihai Zhong Lu, formerly Avenue Joffre, the main street of the old French Concession and stocked then with the latest fashions from Paris. Head west, crossing the massive Chengdu Bei Lu/Chongqing Nan Lu elevated overpass. Descend, and take the first major left, south on:
2. Yandang Lu
This is yet another cobblestone pedestrian food street lined with small cafes, bars, and shops in colonial-style buildings. If you need a pick-me-up, Da Marco Restaurant halfway down serves a bracing cup of cappuccino.
Continue down Yandang Lu 2 blocks to the entrance to:
3. Fuxing Park (on Nanchang Lu)
Since the French established it as their park in 1909, it has been known locally as French Park, and it is still one of Shanghai's loveliest urban green spots, famous for its rose gardens. Looking diagonally southeast from the southeastern entrance to the park, you can spy the former residence (southeastern corner of Fuxing Zhong Lu and Chongqing Nan Lu) of American journalist Agnes Smedley. At the statues of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engel (a favorite point for Shanghai's ballroom dancers to practice), bear west for the upscale Park 97 restaurant complex, and exit there on Gaolan Lu (the former Rue Corneille). Cross Sinan Lu and continue 1 more block on Gaolan Lu to a decidedly strange sight, the:
4. Former St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church (Gaolan Lu 16)
Built in 1933, the high-domed church is testimony to the bygone presence of White Russians in the French quarter. After 1949, it served for a time as a warehouse for washing machines. In recent years, several restaurants have tried to make a go of it here, but none with much long-term success. The church's icons, stained glass, and religious murals inside are lovely, the picture of Chairman Mao on the exterior facade less so.
After a gawk, retrace your steps east along this pretty lane, back to Sinan Lu (the old Rue Masenet), and take it 1 block south to Xiangshan Lu (Rue de Moliere), where you can enter:
5. Sun Yat-sen's Former Residence (Sun Zhongshan Guju, Xiangshan Lu 7)
The founder of the Chinese Republic, Sun lived here with his famous wife, Soong Ching-ling, from 1918 to 1924, the year before his death. You can tour the house from 9am to 4:30pm. This is a typical small mansion of the French era.
Continue south down Sinan Lu past the busy Fuxing Lu to:
6. Zhou Enlai's Former Residence (Zhou Gong Guan, Sinan Lu 73)
Zhou eventually became second in power to Chairman Mao, but as head of the Shanghai branch of the Communist Party in the 1940s, he lived modestly in this French Concession house in 1946, whenever he was in town on party business.
Return to Fuxing Zhong Lu (1 block north) and take it west to Ruijin Er Lu (the former Rte. Pere Robert), the next major street. Turn left (south) for a block or so to the:
7. Ruijin Hotel (Ruijin Binguan, Ruijin Er Lu 118)
This beautiful estate on the west side of the street, now the grounds for a hotel and restaurant complex, was the Morriss Estate in colonial times. The owner of the villas that still stand in these spacious gardens built his fortune by running the North China Daily News, then the main English-language newspaper in Shanghai; he also bred greyhounds which he would race at the 50,000-seat Canidrome just to the west (today's Cultural Square). The last Morriss descendent to live here died in the gatekeeper's house a few years after the communists took over in 1949. The wide green lawns and ornate villas with stained glass windows are exquisite relics of the privileged life wealthy foreigners led in old Shanghai. The grand villa on the northwest edge of the property now houses a bar (Face) and two superb restaurants (one Thai, one Indian).
Take a Break
No place better to relax, have a drink, or eat a fine Asian meal than at Face on the Ruijin Hotel estate (Ruijin Er Lu 118, Building 4). In the back is an Indian restaurant, Hazara; and upstairs, a superb Thai restaurant, Lan Na Thai. The setting is a 1930s colonial mansion with a large manicured lawn fit for a croquet match. If you prefer an old Chinese-Shanghai setting, wait until you get to Maoming Nan Lu for 1931 Bar and Restaurant (Maoming Nan Lu 112). Qipao-clad waitresses will serve you teas, coffees, juices, wines, and classic Shanghai dishes and snacks while Nat King Cole croons in Portuguese in the background. It's all very dreamy and nostalgic.
Exit the estate by the west gate onto:
9. Maoming Nan Lu
Known in colonial days as Route Cardinal Mercier, today's Maoming Lu is a pretty and quaint tree-lined street home to cafes, bars, and a slew of fashion shops. (At night, the southern part of the street, flanked by some of Shanghai's hottest and loudest bars and clubs, becomes impossibly rowdy and quite seedy.)
Taking a right (north) up Maoming you'll cross Fuxing Zhong Lu, Nanchang Lu, passing the 1931 Bar and Restaurant along the way"), and finally Huaihai Zhong Lu, ultimately coming to another landmark, the:
10. Jin Jiang Hotel (Jin Jiang Fandian, Maoming Nan Lu 59)
The massive old hotel complex with its Art Deco buildings on the right (east) side of the street is most famous for being the site where Richard Nixon and Zhou Enlai signed the Shanghai Communique in 1972, which opened China to the West for the first time since World War II. Originally built as exclusive apartments, the buildings became part of the Jin Jiang Hotel in 1951. Since then, the various structures have been modernized, gaining in luxury but losing in character. No longer as lively as it was several years ago, the Jin Jiang Shopping Lane (just inside the gate, parallel to Maoming Lu) still has several restaurants and shops worth a browse, including the hip Shanghai Tang clothing and crafts store from Hong Kong.
Re-emerging on Maoming Lu and walking north to the corner, you can see the old Lyceum Theatre, built in 1931 by the British Consul for the Amateur Dramatic Society, across Changle Lu (formerly Rue Bourgeat). Margot Fonteyn danced here as a girl. Today, it serves as a theater primarily for large pop concerts. You can take a peek inside its restored lobby. Cross back to the west side of Maoming Lu to the:
11. Okura Garden Hotel (Huayuan Fandian, Maoming Nan Lu 58)
The towering Okura Garden Hotel, a Japanese-managed five-star property, opened in 1989 on the site of the 1926 Cercle Sportif Francaise, once the most luxurious private club in the French quarter, with its grand ballroom, swimming pool, lounges, and wicker sofas. For a look at its original Art Deco interiors now brilliantly restored, take a right inside the hotel lobby past the business center to the east wing. This was the original entrance to the Cercle Sportif's ballroom, complete with marble stairways and colonnades topped by nude female figures. The Grand Ballroom still bears its beautiful stained glass ceiling lights. This club served as Mao Zedong's private quarters whenever he visited Shanghai, which perhaps explains the eight-room underground concrete bunker that connects to the Jin Jiang Hotel across the street (the entrance near the fountain is usually locked, though).
Outside, head back north up Maoming Nan Lu, turn left (west) on Changle Lu for 2 blocks (passing a row of shops that sell and tailor traditional qipao dresses), then turn left (south) on Xiangyang Bei Lu (the former Rue L. Lorton). At the next intersection with Xinle Lu, you'll find in the southwest corner:
12. Former Russian Orthodox Cathedral of the Holy Mother of God (Xinle Lu 55)
Built in 1931, this building with the gorgeous peacock-blue domes was then the most active church among Russians. At one point, the church housed a stock exchange with an electronic trading board. It is currently occupied by a restaurant, The Grape, popular with expatriates for its inexpensive and tasty Shanghai fare.
Continue south on Xiangyang Lu, passing on the east side of the street Xiangyang Gongyuan, formerly a private garden in French Concession days famous for its cherry trees. Cross Huaihai Zhong Lu to the south. The Xiangyang Clothing Market, the place to shop for brand-name remainders and knock-offs, was once here, but was being demolished at press time. Head west on Huaihai Lu, then left (southwest) down the slanting street of Fenyang Lu (the old Rte. Pichon). About halfway down the block on the right (west) you'll pass the Shanghai Conservatory of Music (Shanghai Yinyue Xueyuan). Continue south on Fenyang Lu past Fuxing Lu (or Rte. Lafayette, as it was once known) until you come to the intersection with Taiyuan Lu, where you'll find (on the eastern side of Fenyang Lu) hidden behind a tall wall the:
13. Shanghai Museum of Arts and Crafts (Shanghai Gongyi Meishu Bowuguan, Fenyang Lu 79)
This marvelous 1905 French Renaissance-style marble and stone mansion (daily 8:30am-4:30pm) served as the private estate of the director of the French Municipal Council, a French general, and finally the first mayor of communist Shanghai, Chen Yi, before becoming the open workshops of some of China's most skilled artisans. This survivor of colonial Shanghai packs a triple punch: as a place to watch traditional arts and crafts being fashioned, as a museum of those works, and as an architectural masterpiece, resplendent with its unaltered interiors, sculptures, and marble fountains in its garden.
At this point, you can take a quick detour south on Taiyuan Lu past Yongjia Lu to the:
14. Taiyuan Guesthouse (Taiyuan Bieshu, Taiyuan Lu 160)
This lovely 1920s colonial mansion hosted American Gen. George Marshall in 1946 when he was attempting to mediate a truce between Chiang Kai-shek and Mao Zedong.
Head back(north) up Taiyuan Lu, take a left (southwest) on Fenyang Lu until it ends at a four-way intersection of Fenyang Lu, Taojiang Lu, Dongping Lu, and south-running Yueyang Lu. The Puxijin Monument located on the tiny island in the middle is dedicated to Russian poet Alexander Pushkin on his 200th birthday. From here, you can head west for your ultimate destination:
15. Hengshan Lu
Formerly Avenue Petain, a big, tree-lined avenue with orange-tile sidewalks, wrought-iron railings, and ivy-covered mansions, this is one of Shanghai's trendiest streets. End your walk here with a bit of shopping; or have a look at the ivy-covered International Community Church (Guoji Libai Tang; Hengshan Lu 53) established in 1925 and the former Shanghai American School (built 1923) across the street. Or do a spot of people-watching at any of the cafes dotting the side streets. To get to Hengshan Lu, head west on Dongping Lu with its row of quaint restaurants and shops. Don't miss the English-style villa with yellow walls at Dongping Lu 9 where Chiang Kai-shek stayed with his wife Soong Mei-ling. Next door (west) at House no. 11 is another 1920s Soong family mansion (currently occupied by Sasha's).
Winding Down
After this long jaunt through the old French quarters, there's no better reward than to enjoy some fine vittles in one of the many splendid colonial mansions around Hengshan Lu. If you fancy Continental dishes presented in a 1920s Soong family mansion, try Sasha's (Dongping Lu 9, House no. 11 at Hengshan Lu). More Continental and Asian fare is served next door in the serene Lapis Lazuli (which also has lunch specials). For Irish ale, live Irish music, and Irish stew, served in an old courtyard house, try O'Malley's (Taojiang Lu 42, west 1 block off Hengshan Lu). If just a leisurely cup of latte or tea will do, the "fragrant camphor" teahouse of Harn Sheh (Hengshan Lu 10 at Taojiang Lu) is as undemanding a spot as any to wind down.
French Concession
Start: Xintiandi, Luwan District (Metro: Huangpi Nan Lu).
Finish: Hengshan Lu, Xuhui District (Metro: Hengshan Lu).
Time: 4 to 6 hours.
Best Times: Weekday mornings and mid-afternoons.
Worst Times: On weekends (especially Sun) and evenings many of these streets are quite crowded with local shoppers and visitors. Lunchtime (11:30am-2pm) also brings out big crowds.
History
Shanghai's French Concession, consisting of a corridor running from the lower Bund between today's Yan'an Lu and the Chinese Old Town west along Huaihai Lu, contains many of the city's most picturesque colonial mansions, parks, hotels, and town houses. The French arrived in 1846 and leased land just south of the British Concession's holdings. They established a series of fine residential neighborhoods west across today's Luwan District, branching off Huaihai Lu, the main avenue known in colonial times as Avenue Joffre. The concession's northern border, today's Yan'an Lu, was originally a creek named Yangjingbang, which was filled to become the street then known as Avenue Edouard VII. The streets in the long, sprawling settlement were lined with plane trees; the buildings, with their mansard roofs and shutters, resembled those of French towns of the time; and these neighborhoods, most now dating from the first 3 decades of the 1900s, remain much intact, although the modern construction boom has laid waste to considerable clusters of the French legacy. Still, especially in recent years, a concerted effort has been made to preserve and spruce up many charming blocks of the original French residences, open historic houses, and convert some of the surviving mansions and estates to fine restaurants and retail shops -- all making for a delightful, if spread out, stroll through colonial Shanghai. Refusing to join the International Concession formed in 1863 by the British and Americans, the French had their own electric power, bus system, and legal system within their 10-sq.-km (4-sq.-mile) quarter. It was a neighborhood that attracted not only the French, but international adventurers, Chinese gangsters, White Russian refugees, communist revolutionaries, and pimps and prostitutes as well. By the 1930s, the French were vastly outnumbered here, but their sense of style has endured.
From exit no. 1 of the Huangpi Nan Lu Metro head west, past the Shui On Center (no. 333). Turn left (south) at Madang Lu for 2 short blocks to:
1. Xin Tiandi (New Heaven and Earth)
Beginning at Taicang Lu, this 2-square-block pedestrian mall of cafes and boutiques is one of the hottest venues in ShanghaI, with its restored late colonial architecture known as shiku men (row houses with courtyards and stone frame gates), though it must be said that many of the buildings are new constructions done in the traditional style. It's all quite faux but very upscale and worth a stroll. In the evenings, you'll often see Chinese tour groups traipsing through. The Site of the First National Congress of the Communist Party (Huangpi Nan Lu 374) anchors its southeast corner in an original shiku men building.
Retrace your steps north to Huaihai Zhong Lu, formerly Avenue Joffre, the main street of the old French Concession and stocked then with the latest fashions from Paris. Head west, crossing the massive Chengdu Bei Lu/Chongqing Nan Lu elevated overpass. Descend, and take the first major left, south on:
2. Yandang Lu
This is yet another cobblestone pedestrian food street lined with small cafes, bars, and shops in colonial-style buildings. If you need a pick-me-up, Da Marco Restaurant halfway down serves a bracing cup of cappuccino.
Continue down Yandang Lu 2 blocks to the entrance to:
3. Fuxing Park (on Nanchang Lu)
Since the French established it as their park in 1909, it has been known locally as French Park, and it is still one of Shanghai's loveliest urban green spots, famous for its rose gardens. Looking diagonally southeast from the southeastern entrance to the park, you can spy the former residence (southeastern corner of Fuxing Zhong Lu and Chongqing Nan Lu) of American journalist Agnes Smedley. At the statues of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engel (a favorite point for Shanghai's ballroom dancers to practice), bear west for the upscale Park 97 restaurant complex, and exit there on Gaolan Lu (the former Rue Corneille). Cross Sinan Lu and continue 1 more block on Gaolan Lu to a decidedly strange sight, the:
4. Former St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church (Gaolan Lu 16)
Built in 1933, the high-domed church is testimony to the bygone presence of White Russians in the French quarter. After 1949, it served for a time as a warehouse for washing machines. In recent years, several restaurants have tried to make a go of it here, but none with much long-term success. The church's icons, stained glass, and religious murals inside are lovely, the picture of Chairman Mao on the exterior facade less so.
After a gawk, retrace your steps east along this pretty lane, back to Sinan Lu (the old Rue Masenet), and take it 1 block south to Xiangshan Lu (Rue de Moliere), where you can enter:
5. Sun Yat-sen's Former Residence (Sun Zhongshan Guju, Xiangshan Lu 7)
The founder of the Chinese Republic, Sun lived here with his famous wife, Soong Ching-ling, from 1918 to 1924, the year before his death. You can tour the house from 9am to 4:30pm. This is a typical small mansion of the French era.
Continue south down Sinan Lu past the busy Fuxing Lu to:
6. Zhou Enlai's Former Residence (Zhou Gong Guan, Sinan Lu 73)
Zhou eventually became second in power to Chairman Mao, but as head of the Shanghai branch of the Communist Party in the 1940s, he lived modestly in this French Concession house in 1946, whenever he was in town on party business.
Return to Fuxing Zhong Lu (1 block north) and take it west to Ruijin Er Lu (the former Rte. Pere Robert), the next major street. Turn left (south) for a block or so to the:
7. Ruijin Hotel (Ruijin Binguan, Ruijin Er Lu 118)
This beautiful estate on the west side of the street, now the grounds for a hotel and restaurant complex, was the Morriss Estate in colonial times. The owner of the villas that still stand in these spacious gardens built his fortune by running the North China Daily News, then the main English-language newspaper in Shanghai; he also bred greyhounds which he would race at the 50,000-seat Canidrome just to the west (today's Cultural Square). The last Morriss descendent to live here died in the gatekeeper's house a few years after the communists took over in 1949. The wide green lawns and ornate villas with stained glass windows are exquisite relics of the privileged life wealthy foreigners led in old Shanghai. The grand villa on the northwest edge of the property now houses a bar (Face) and two superb restaurants (one Thai, one Indian).
Take a Break
No place better to relax, have a drink, or eat a fine Asian meal than at Face on the Ruijin Hotel estate (Ruijin Er Lu 118, Building 4). In the back is an Indian restaurant, Hazara; and upstairs, a superb Thai restaurant, Lan Na Thai. The setting is a 1930s colonial mansion with a large manicured lawn fit for a croquet match. If you prefer an old Chinese-Shanghai setting, wait until you get to Maoming Nan Lu for 1931 Bar and Restaurant (Maoming Nan Lu 112). Qipao-clad waitresses will serve you teas, coffees, juices, wines, and classic Shanghai dishes and snacks while Nat King Cole croons in Portuguese in the background. It's all very dreamy and nostalgic.
Exit the estate by the west gate onto:
9. Maoming Nan Lu
Known in colonial days as Route Cardinal Mercier, today's Maoming Lu is a pretty and quaint tree-lined street home to cafes, bars, and a slew of fashion shops. (At night, the southern part of the street, flanked by some of Shanghai's hottest and loudest bars and clubs, becomes impossibly rowdy and quite seedy.)
Taking a right (north) up Maoming you'll cross Fuxing Zhong Lu, Nanchang Lu, passing the 1931 Bar and Restaurant along the way"), and finally Huaihai Zhong Lu, ultimately coming to another landmark, the:
10. Jin Jiang Hotel (Jin Jiang Fandian, Maoming Nan Lu 59)
The massive old hotel complex with its Art Deco buildings on the right (east) side of the street is most famous for being the site where Richard Nixon and Zhou Enlai signed the Shanghai Communique in 1972, which opened China to the West for the first time since World War II. Originally built as exclusive apartments, the buildings became part of the Jin Jiang Hotel in 1951. Since then, the various structures have been modernized, gaining in luxury but losing in character. No longer as lively as it was several years ago, the Jin Jiang Shopping Lane (just inside the gate, parallel to Maoming Lu) still has several restaurants and shops worth a browse, including the hip Shanghai Tang clothing and crafts store from Hong Kong.
Re-emerging on Maoming Lu and walking north to the corner, you can see the old Lyceum Theatre, built in 1931 by the British Consul for the Amateur Dramatic Society, across Changle Lu (formerly Rue Bourgeat). Margot Fonteyn danced here as a girl. Today, it serves as a theater primarily for large pop concerts. You can take a peek inside its restored lobby. Cross back to the west side of Maoming Lu to the:
11. Okura Garden Hotel (Huayuan Fandian, Maoming Nan Lu 58)
The towering Okura Garden Hotel, a Japanese-managed five-star property, opened in 1989 on the site of the 1926 Cercle Sportif Francaise, once the most luxurious private club in the French quarter, with its grand ballroom, swimming pool, lounges, and wicker sofas. For a look at its original Art Deco interiors now brilliantly restored, take a right inside the hotel lobby past the business center to the east wing. This was the original entrance to the Cercle Sportif's ballroom, complete with marble stairways and colonnades topped by nude female figures. The Grand Ballroom still bears its beautiful stained glass ceiling lights. This club served as Mao Zedong's private quarters whenever he visited Shanghai, which perhaps explains the eight-room underground concrete bunker that connects to the Jin Jiang Hotel across the street (the entrance near the fountain is usually locked, though).
Outside, head back north up Maoming Nan Lu, turn left (west) on Changle Lu for 2 blocks (passing a row of shops that sell and tailor traditional qipao dresses), then turn left (south) on Xiangyang Bei Lu (the former Rue L. Lorton). At the next intersection with Xinle Lu, you'll find in the southwest corner:
12. Former Russian Orthodox Cathedral of the Holy Mother of God (Xinle Lu 55)
Built in 1931, this building with the gorgeous peacock-blue domes was then the most active church among Russians. At one point, the church housed a stock exchange with an electronic trading board. It is currently occupied by a restaurant, The Grape, popular with expatriates for its inexpensive and tasty Shanghai fare.
Continue south on Xiangyang Lu, passing on the east side of the street Xiangyang Gongyuan, formerly a private garden in French Concession days famous for its cherry trees. Cross Huaihai Zhong Lu to the south. The Xiangyang Clothing Market, the place to shop for brand-name remainders and knock-offs, was once here, but was being demolished at press time. Head west on Huaihai Lu, then left (southwest) down the slanting street of Fenyang Lu (the old Rte. Pichon). About halfway down the block on the right (west) you'll pass the Shanghai Conservatory of Music (Shanghai Yinyue Xueyuan). Continue south on Fenyang Lu past Fuxing Lu (or Rte. Lafayette, as it was once known) until you come to the intersection with Taiyuan Lu, where you'll find (on the eastern side of Fenyang Lu) hidden behind a tall wall the:
13. Shanghai Museum of Arts and Crafts (Shanghai Gongyi Meishu Bowuguan, Fenyang Lu 79)
This marvelous 1905 French Renaissance-style marble and stone mansion (daily 8:30am-4:30pm) served as the private estate of the director of the French Municipal Council, a French general, and finally the first mayor of communist Shanghai, Chen Yi, before becoming the open workshops of some of China's most skilled artisans. This survivor of colonial Shanghai packs a triple punch: as a place to watch traditional arts and crafts being fashioned, as a museum of those works, and as an architectural masterpiece, resplendent with its unaltered interiors, sculptures, and marble fountains in its garden.
At this point, you can take a quick detour south on Taiyuan Lu past Yongjia Lu to the:
14. Taiyuan Guesthouse (Taiyuan Bieshu, Taiyuan Lu 160)
This lovely 1920s colonial mansion hosted American Gen. George Marshall in 1946 when he was attempting to mediate a truce between Chiang Kai-shek and Mao Zedong.
Head back(north) up Taiyuan Lu, take a left (southwest) on Fenyang Lu until it ends at a four-way intersection of Fenyang Lu, Taojiang Lu, Dongping Lu, and south-running Yueyang Lu. The Puxijin Monument located on the tiny island in the middle is dedicated to Russian poet Alexander Pushkin on his 200th birthday. From here, you can head west for your ultimate destination:
15. Hengshan Lu
Formerly Avenue Petain, a big, tree-lined avenue with orange-tile sidewalks, wrought-iron railings, and ivy-covered mansions, this is one of Shanghai's trendiest streets. End your walk here with a bit of shopping; or have a look at the ivy-covered International Community Church (Guoji Libai Tang; Hengshan Lu 53) established in 1925 and the former Shanghai American School (built 1923) across the street. Or do a spot of people-watching at any of the cafes dotting the side streets. To get to Hengshan Lu, head west on Dongping Lu with its row of quaint restaurants and shops. Don't miss the English-style villa with yellow walls at Dongping Lu 9 where Chiang Kai-shek stayed with his wife Soong Mei-ling. Next door (west) at House no. 11 is another 1920s Soong family mansion (currently occupied by Sasha's).
Winding Down
After this long jaunt through the old French quarters, there's no better reward than to enjoy some fine vittles in one of the many splendid colonial mansions around Hengshan Lu. If you fancy Continental dishes presented in a 1920s Soong family mansion, try Sasha's (Dongping Lu 9, House no. 11 at Hengshan Lu). More Continental and Asian fare is served next door in the serene Lapis Lazuli (which also has lunch specials). For Irish ale, live Irish music, and Irish stew, served in an old courtyard house, try O'Malley's (Taojiang Lu 42, west 1 block off Hengshan Lu). If just a leisurely cup of latte or tea will do, the "fragrant camphor" teahouse of Harn Sheh (Hengshan Lu 10 at Taojiang Lu) is as undemanding a spot as any to wind down.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
A taste of China: Where to eat in Beijing
A taste of China: Where to eat in Beijing
10:37AM Friday July 11, 2008
A vendor works at stand selling starfish at the Wangfujing Street Market. Photo / AP
Eating the local cuisine is one of the best things about travelling, but it's often difficult to know whether you're in a real local restaurant or a tourist trap.
If you're heading to the Olympics in Beijing next month though, fear not. Staff, past and present, of the Beijing bureau of The Associated Press have come up with a list of their favourite restaurants in the city.
They advise though that addresses don't usually line up, so it's best to call the restaurant and hand the phone to your taxi driver en route.
*******
Audra Ang: Yue Lu (pronounced you-whey loo)
Showcasing the spicy fare of Mao Zedong's home province of Hunan, this restaurant was opened by Fang Lijun, one of China's most influential contemporary artists.
Enjoy some of his provocative pieces while chowing down on super-garlicky mashed eggplant served in a wooden bucket, cold beef rolls stuffed with cilantro and topped with a garlic puree, braised fatty pork and "swallow" dumplings bubbling in a flame-warmed broth.
One dish that will impress any guest is an enormous steamed fish head topped with a pile of innocent-looking chopped green chilies. Don't be fooled, they will bring tears to your eyes. A tangle of boiled noodles will be brought to your table later to sop up the light soy sauce-based fish soup.
Cool things down with a cold jug of plum juice.
Address: The alley next to the club Destination at the west gate of the Worker's Stadium, about 100 metres down, on the left.Phone: 6551-0806Cost: US$10 to US$15 per person
Greg Baker: Hatsune (pronounced haht-soon-nay)
A warmly lit California-Japanese fusion joint popular with the hipster crowd. Super fresh sashimi and creative sushi rolls including one stuffed with Peking duck.
Other tasty items are baked scallops in the shell topped with a sinfully cheesy sauce, miso cod and beef rolls with enoki mushrooms. Complimentary dessert.
Address: 2/F Heqiao Building, Guanghua Road, Chaoyang District.Phone: 6581-3939Cost: US$20 to US$30 per person
Anita Chang: Chuan Ban (pronounced chwahn-bahn)
Hidden in a government compound behind the Chang'an Grand Theater, this restaurant dishes up arguably the best - and spiciest - Sichuan food in the capital. Forget wimpy Americanised versions and dive in if you dare.
The chefs here are brought in from the mountainous southwestern province to cook for homesick civil servants and others who can handle the heat. A show-stopper is the laziji, a dish that is 10 per cent chicken and 90 per cent whole, dried red chilli peppers served on a platter the size of an end table.
Other must-eats are the pork dumplings doused in chilli oil, cold glass noodles tossed with chilli oil and tofu stir-fried with minced pork and - what else? - chilli oil. Cool your mouth with bottles of cold Yanjing beer.
Don't be shy about waving your arms frantically to flag down the less-than-attentive staff and be prepared for long, long lines. It's worth it.
Address: Jianguomennei Avenue, walk 80 metres north on the street running alongside the Chang'an Grand Theater, take a right at the public bathroom. The restaurant is about 30 metres down on the left, inside the gated Sichuan provincial government compound.Phone: 6512-2277Cost: US$10 to US$15 per person
Zhang Chi-Chi: W Wine & Dine
The beef tartare with parmesan potato souffle at this European-style restaurant is a must-try. It's moist and flavoursome, topped with delicious herbs. The decor is modern, but unpretentious.
W's comfortable surroundings draw in a good mix of locals and expats. Try the Italian citrus osso bucco with olive oil and herbs paired with a glass of wine from their impressive collection.
Address: 22-1 Dongzhimenwai Dajie.Phone: 6416-9838Cost: US$20 to US35 per person
John Leicester: The Noodle Loft (its Chinese name is pronounced mee-en koo)
Great dumplings, made with reddish sorghum flour that gives them an earthy taste, and filled with tangy pickled vegetables. Dip them in sweet vinegar for added zing.
The noodles here are great, handmade, beaten and spun in front of customers by quick-wristed chefs. Good spectacle.
The thinly-sliced cold cooked pork is worth a try - if for no other reason than the accompanying crushed-garlic dip that trails on the tongue for days afterwards.
Address (two locations): 20 Dawang Road and 3 Heping Xijie.Phone: 6774-9950 or 5130-9655Cost: US$10 per person
Zhao Liang: Haiwanju (pronounced hi-wahn-jew)
If you want to get a sense of what it was like in a Beijing restaurant more than a century ago, this is the place to go.
From outside, you can see big red lanterns hanging on the tile roof. Inside, you'll get an old-school greeting from waiters wearing mandarin-style jackets and black cloth shoes - "Here you come! Please come on in!" They will show you to a marble table with four long red benches.
According to a famous Chinese saying - "Dragon meat in heaven, donkey meat on earth." Try some!
And you must have the house speciality of noodles topped with a salty-sweet brown sauce.
The constant bustle of the place means some smashed plates, but don't worry. Waiters will chorus "sui sui ping an" when that happens, which means that breaking something is a good omen for your health and safety.
Address: No.11, Zengguang Road, Haidian District.Phone: 8837-4993 or 8409-4929Cost: US$7 to US$10 per person
Joe McDonald: Yunteng Binguan (pronounced yuhn tung been gwahn)
Cuisine of the ethnic minorities of China's southwestern province of Yunnan. Crowd-pleasers include pine-needle salad, spicy mint leaf salad with peppers, fried goat cheese, grilled fish and dishes based on the province's wide variety of mushrooms. Speciality drinks include distinctive homemade rice wine.
The popularity of the restaurant has prompted the managers to open a shop next door selling delicacies such as pickled mushrooms.
Address: In the Yunnan provincial government representative office building at No. 7 Huashi North Road, Chongwen District.Phone: 6711-3322Cost: US$10 to US$20 per person
Scott McDonald: Xiao Wang Fu (pronounced shee-ao wahng foo)
It's been called Chinese food 101, but you couldn't ask for a more picturesque introduction to homestyle cooking.
Overlooking the small but busy Ritan Park - itself a gem of a find in one of the city's embassy districts - the restaurant's dishes are dependably good, even if they cater to more foreign palates.
Crispy fried tofu, twice-fried green beans with pork, kung pao prawns and Peking duck are popular.
A great place to take a date - or your mother.
After dinner, head to the Stone Boat for a drink. The cafe/bar on the west shore of Ritan's man-made pond is located in a stone boat evocative of Empress Ci Xi's famed vessel. Especially pleasant in summer, when a rotation of funky local bands take the stage.
Address: North gate of Ritan Park, take a left and walk about 100 metres.Phone: 8561-7859Cost: US$20 to US$30 per person (and don't be shocked by the price of the fresh juices, which can hit almost US$30 per jug)
Henry Sanderson: Dali Courtyard (pronounced dah-lee)
This restaurant is cosily set in a quiet converted courtyard house off a small alleyway near Beijing's ancient Drum Tower.
The intimate atmosphere is heightened by the house's full bookshelves, dark wooden furniture and seating under the stars.
The set menu transports you to the mountainous region of Dali in southwest Yunnan, home of the Bai and Yi minorities.
The lemongrass roasted tilapia and fried beef with mushrooms stand out, but the menu often changes.
Waiters will ask if there's anything you don't eat and the food will be adapted accordingly. Generous glasses of wine.
Address: 67 Xiaojingchang Hutong, Gulou Dongdajie, Dongcheng District.Phone: 8404-1430Cost: US$12 per person for the set menu
Didi Tang: Donghuamen Night Market (pronounced dohng hwah muhn)
A block-long street lined with food stalls, offering munchies from sugar-coated fruit to fresh coconuts to Beijing-style baked pastries. And bugs. Lots of bugs on a stick.
Follow the aromas, give in to the sales pitches of friendly food vendors and experience firsthand what Beijingers like to snack on. Bragging rights are all yours when you get home.
Address: North of the Wangfujing shopping area, at the end of the pedestrian street.
Tini Tran: Hua Jia Yi Yuan (hwa gee-yah yee wan)
An atmospheric courtyard restaurant located along Beijing's famous food street, Gui Jie, with its trademark red lanterns. It serves up new takes on tasty homestyle dishes, such as spicy crayfish and eggplant with abalone.
They also make a deliciously crispy Beijing duck, with less fat than usual. The place is crowded and noisy but enthusiastic diners attest to the food's authenticity.Address: 235 Dongzhimennei Dajie.Phone: 6405-1908Cost: US$10 to US$15 per person
Xi Yue: Shi Tang (pronounced shih tahng)
Literally translated, the name means "eat the Tang Dynasty". Located in a quiet corner of southeast Beijing, the restaurant serves food from the ancient capital city of Xi'an.
Try pao mo (pow mwoh), a hot stew of chopped up steamed bread and glass noodles in lamb broth, served with chunks of lamb meat. Best accompanied by pickled garlic and chilli sauce.
Also good are the translucent liang pi (lee-ahng pee) noodles and the Qi Shan (chee shahn) noodles, a spicy concoction with diced vegetables and meat. The secret ingredient? Qi Shan vinegar, which gives it an extra kick.
Wash it all down with Huang Gui (hwang goo-wei) rice wine which, according to legend, was the favourite of Yang Guifei, the most beautiful princess of the Tang dynasty. People say the wine can make women prettier.
Address: Jing Song No. 9 district, building 907.Phone: 6776-9193Cost: US$5 per person
- AP
10:37AM Friday July 11, 2008
A vendor works at stand selling starfish at the Wangfujing Street Market. Photo / AP
Eating the local cuisine is one of the best things about travelling, but it's often difficult to know whether you're in a real local restaurant or a tourist trap.
If you're heading to the Olympics in Beijing next month though, fear not. Staff, past and present, of the Beijing bureau of The Associated Press have come up with a list of their favourite restaurants in the city.
They advise though that addresses don't usually line up, so it's best to call the restaurant and hand the phone to your taxi driver en route.
*******
Audra Ang: Yue Lu (pronounced you-whey loo)
Showcasing the spicy fare of Mao Zedong's home province of Hunan, this restaurant was opened by Fang Lijun, one of China's most influential contemporary artists.
Enjoy some of his provocative pieces while chowing down on super-garlicky mashed eggplant served in a wooden bucket, cold beef rolls stuffed with cilantro and topped with a garlic puree, braised fatty pork and "swallow" dumplings bubbling in a flame-warmed broth.
One dish that will impress any guest is an enormous steamed fish head topped with a pile of innocent-looking chopped green chilies. Don't be fooled, they will bring tears to your eyes. A tangle of boiled noodles will be brought to your table later to sop up the light soy sauce-based fish soup.
Cool things down with a cold jug of plum juice.
Address: The alley next to the club Destination at the west gate of the Worker's Stadium, about 100 metres down, on the left.Phone: 6551-0806Cost: US$10 to US$15 per person
Greg Baker: Hatsune (pronounced haht-soon-nay)
A warmly lit California-Japanese fusion joint popular with the hipster crowd. Super fresh sashimi and creative sushi rolls including one stuffed with Peking duck.
Other tasty items are baked scallops in the shell topped with a sinfully cheesy sauce, miso cod and beef rolls with enoki mushrooms. Complimentary dessert.
Address: 2/F Heqiao Building, Guanghua Road, Chaoyang District.Phone: 6581-3939Cost: US$20 to US$30 per person
Anita Chang: Chuan Ban (pronounced chwahn-bahn)
Hidden in a government compound behind the Chang'an Grand Theater, this restaurant dishes up arguably the best - and spiciest - Sichuan food in the capital. Forget wimpy Americanised versions and dive in if you dare.
The chefs here are brought in from the mountainous southwestern province to cook for homesick civil servants and others who can handle the heat. A show-stopper is the laziji, a dish that is 10 per cent chicken and 90 per cent whole, dried red chilli peppers served on a platter the size of an end table.
Other must-eats are the pork dumplings doused in chilli oil, cold glass noodles tossed with chilli oil and tofu stir-fried with minced pork and - what else? - chilli oil. Cool your mouth with bottles of cold Yanjing beer.
Don't be shy about waving your arms frantically to flag down the less-than-attentive staff and be prepared for long, long lines. It's worth it.
Address: Jianguomennei Avenue, walk 80 metres north on the street running alongside the Chang'an Grand Theater, take a right at the public bathroom. The restaurant is about 30 metres down on the left, inside the gated Sichuan provincial government compound.Phone: 6512-2277Cost: US$10 to US$15 per person
Zhang Chi-Chi: W Wine & Dine
The beef tartare with parmesan potato souffle at this European-style restaurant is a must-try. It's moist and flavoursome, topped with delicious herbs. The decor is modern, but unpretentious.
W's comfortable surroundings draw in a good mix of locals and expats. Try the Italian citrus osso bucco with olive oil and herbs paired with a glass of wine from their impressive collection.
Address: 22-1 Dongzhimenwai Dajie.Phone: 6416-9838Cost: US$20 to US35 per person
John Leicester: The Noodle Loft (its Chinese name is pronounced mee-en koo)
Great dumplings, made with reddish sorghum flour that gives them an earthy taste, and filled with tangy pickled vegetables. Dip them in sweet vinegar for added zing.
The noodles here are great, handmade, beaten and spun in front of customers by quick-wristed chefs. Good spectacle.
The thinly-sliced cold cooked pork is worth a try - if for no other reason than the accompanying crushed-garlic dip that trails on the tongue for days afterwards.
Address (two locations): 20 Dawang Road and 3 Heping Xijie.Phone: 6774-9950 or 5130-9655Cost: US$10 per person
Zhao Liang: Haiwanju (pronounced hi-wahn-jew)
If you want to get a sense of what it was like in a Beijing restaurant more than a century ago, this is the place to go.
From outside, you can see big red lanterns hanging on the tile roof. Inside, you'll get an old-school greeting from waiters wearing mandarin-style jackets and black cloth shoes - "Here you come! Please come on in!" They will show you to a marble table with four long red benches.
According to a famous Chinese saying - "Dragon meat in heaven, donkey meat on earth." Try some!
And you must have the house speciality of noodles topped with a salty-sweet brown sauce.
The constant bustle of the place means some smashed plates, but don't worry. Waiters will chorus "sui sui ping an" when that happens, which means that breaking something is a good omen for your health and safety.
Address: No.11, Zengguang Road, Haidian District.Phone: 8837-4993 or 8409-4929Cost: US$7 to US$10 per person
Joe McDonald: Yunteng Binguan (pronounced yuhn tung been gwahn)
Cuisine of the ethnic minorities of China's southwestern province of Yunnan. Crowd-pleasers include pine-needle salad, spicy mint leaf salad with peppers, fried goat cheese, grilled fish and dishes based on the province's wide variety of mushrooms. Speciality drinks include distinctive homemade rice wine.
The popularity of the restaurant has prompted the managers to open a shop next door selling delicacies such as pickled mushrooms.
Address: In the Yunnan provincial government representative office building at No. 7 Huashi North Road, Chongwen District.Phone: 6711-3322Cost: US$10 to US$20 per person
Scott McDonald: Xiao Wang Fu (pronounced shee-ao wahng foo)
It's been called Chinese food 101, but you couldn't ask for a more picturesque introduction to homestyle cooking.
Overlooking the small but busy Ritan Park - itself a gem of a find in one of the city's embassy districts - the restaurant's dishes are dependably good, even if they cater to more foreign palates.
Crispy fried tofu, twice-fried green beans with pork, kung pao prawns and Peking duck are popular.
A great place to take a date - or your mother.
After dinner, head to the Stone Boat for a drink. The cafe/bar on the west shore of Ritan's man-made pond is located in a stone boat evocative of Empress Ci Xi's famed vessel. Especially pleasant in summer, when a rotation of funky local bands take the stage.
Address: North gate of Ritan Park, take a left and walk about 100 metres.Phone: 8561-7859Cost: US$20 to US$30 per person (and don't be shocked by the price of the fresh juices, which can hit almost US$30 per jug)
Henry Sanderson: Dali Courtyard (pronounced dah-lee)
This restaurant is cosily set in a quiet converted courtyard house off a small alleyway near Beijing's ancient Drum Tower.
The intimate atmosphere is heightened by the house's full bookshelves, dark wooden furniture and seating under the stars.
The set menu transports you to the mountainous region of Dali in southwest Yunnan, home of the Bai and Yi minorities.
The lemongrass roasted tilapia and fried beef with mushrooms stand out, but the menu often changes.
Waiters will ask if there's anything you don't eat and the food will be adapted accordingly. Generous glasses of wine.
Address: 67 Xiaojingchang Hutong, Gulou Dongdajie, Dongcheng District.Phone: 8404-1430Cost: US$12 per person for the set menu
Didi Tang: Donghuamen Night Market (pronounced dohng hwah muhn)
A block-long street lined with food stalls, offering munchies from sugar-coated fruit to fresh coconuts to Beijing-style baked pastries. And bugs. Lots of bugs on a stick.
Follow the aromas, give in to the sales pitches of friendly food vendors and experience firsthand what Beijingers like to snack on. Bragging rights are all yours when you get home.
Address: North of the Wangfujing shopping area, at the end of the pedestrian street.
Tini Tran: Hua Jia Yi Yuan (hwa gee-yah yee wan)
An atmospheric courtyard restaurant located along Beijing's famous food street, Gui Jie, with its trademark red lanterns. It serves up new takes on tasty homestyle dishes, such as spicy crayfish and eggplant with abalone.
They also make a deliciously crispy Beijing duck, with less fat than usual. The place is crowded and noisy but enthusiastic diners attest to the food's authenticity.Address: 235 Dongzhimennei Dajie.Phone: 6405-1908Cost: US$10 to US$15 per person
Xi Yue: Shi Tang (pronounced shih tahng)
Literally translated, the name means "eat the Tang Dynasty". Located in a quiet corner of southeast Beijing, the restaurant serves food from the ancient capital city of Xi'an.
Try pao mo (pow mwoh), a hot stew of chopped up steamed bread and glass noodles in lamb broth, served with chunks of lamb meat. Best accompanied by pickled garlic and chilli sauce.
Also good are the translucent liang pi (lee-ahng pee) noodles and the Qi Shan (chee shahn) noodles, a spicy concoction with diced vegetables and meat. The secret ingredient? Qi Shan vinegar, which gives it an extra kick.
Wash it all down with Huang Gui (hwang goo-wei) rice wine which, according to legend, was the favourite of Yang Guifei, the most beautiful princess of the Tang dynasty. People say the wine can make women prettier.
Address: Jing Song No. 9 district, building 907.Phone: 6776-9193Cost: US$5 per person
- AP
Culinary adventures in Beijing
Culinary adventures in Beijing
5:00AM Thursday July 31, 2008By Audra Ang
Today's Beijing is packed with eateries at every corner, open at all hours and offering regional cuisines of all kinds a reflection of China's stunning economic success after almost three decades of convulsive growth. Photo / AP
My last houseguest had 13 restaurants on his to-try list, including three renowned for succulent versions of crisp-skinned Peking duck, one popular for its tongue-tingling Sichuan cuisine and a Uighur joint, known as much for the ethnic minority's cumin-spiced lamb skewers as its exuberant floor show.
"I never thought Beijing would have so many things!" he said hungrily after hours of online research.
Gone are the days when the traditional Chinese greeting "Have you eaten yet?" seemed like a bad joke in the dour capital where, as recently as the 1980s, staples were rationed, state-run canteens dished out the slop of the day in chipped enamel bowls and restaurants were few and far between.
Today's Beijing is packed with eateries at every corner, open at all hours and offering regional cuisines of all kinds a reflection of China's stunning economic success after almost three decades of convulsive growth.
And the run-up to the Aug. 8 Beijing Olympics has underscored the quantum leap in the quality and variety of fare on offer, with menus and manners being polished in anticipation of the crowd of 500,000 visitors during the games.
From al dente hand-pulled noodles splashed with bracing black vinegar from Shanxi province in the north, to fingernail-sized chicken pieces buried in a mountain of dried chillies from Sichuan in the southwest, to the rich, sweet braises of the east, there is something to pique every palate. Don't forget the street food handmade pork buns, candied fruit and egg, lettuce and crisp fried dough rolled in a freshly made flour crepe, a Chinese burrito of sorts.
And that's just from within the country.
Sushi and sashimi? Ocean fresh. Persian grilled meats and stews? In the heart of the city. Fish and chips? Beer-batter or breadcrumbs, take your pick. Greek, Vietnamese, Italian, German, French, Ethiopian, Spanish, Singaporean, even kosher ... the list goes on.
"Simply put, we've gone from eating just to fill our stomachs to the stage where we are open to the complete pleasures of the dining experience," says Chitty Chung, editor-in-chief of Beijing's Food & Wine magazine.
That includes not only an awareness of a restaurant's environment, the chef's concepts, quality of service, the pairing of food and wine, and nutritional balance, but also a willingness try new things, says Chung, who recommends Dadong Roast Duck Restaurant not only for the namesake fowl, but also for its light modern twist on traditionally heavy Shandong fare.
"People's eyes are opening up and they are becoming more international. They are ready to accept and taste food from other parts of the world," she says. "The choices are far beyond your imagination."
So are the numbers.
There are more than 40,000 restaurants in Beijing, 90 percent of which are privately run a far cry from the few thousand state-owned eateries that were found on the streets during the early 1980s, says He Zhifu, secretary-general of the Beijing Association for Food and Beverage Industries.
They run the gamut from the simple (mom-and-pop dumpling place) to the showy (the starkly modern Green T. House, where dishes are decorated with curling tree branches, and the Whampoa Club, where roast spring onion ice-cream can be enjoyed in a dining room that sits beneath a massive glass goldfish pond) to the bizarre (Guo Li Zhuang which serves the penises and testicles of various animals dogs, yaks, ox cooked in a variety of ways.)
And some of the tastiest and most authentic regional treats can be found in the restaurants affiliated to the provincial government offices that have set up in the capital.
In all, Beijing's restaurants rake in more than $4 billion annually and the revenues are still growing, a lucrative streak that has boosted the street cred of the city's food scene and drawn big names despite tainted product scares last year.
Chef Daniel Boulud a cult favorite in New York who has grabbed headlines for his $150 ground sirloin burger filled with short ribs braised in red wine, foie gras and black truffles has just set up shop in a compound that used to house the U.S. Embassy. Le Pre Lenotre, sister restaurant of the three Michelin-star Le Pre Catelan in Paris, opened to great buzz in the Sofitel Wanda Beijing.
The also-very-French Fauchon is peddling its gourmet treats in a high-end mall and Philippe Starck designed the trippy, down-the-rabbit-hole Lan club and restaurant. Last month, Zagat, a global dining guide with a fierce hold on the American market, launched its Beijing edition.
"Beijing has a concurrence of circumstance at present," says Malcolm McLauchlan, general manager of 1949, The Hidden City, a cluster of ambitious restaurants overlooking the shady courtyard of a former factory.
He checked them off: a rapidly growing middle class, relatively little competition and Olympics-driven tourism.
Prior to the boom, the few and far between restaurants offered just a limited number of dishes. They opened late, closed early and were staffed by servers who seemed to take pride in being as disagreeable as possible. Their favorite phrase was "mei you," loosely translated to mean "we're out." Definitely no Haagen-Dazs, McDonald's or Starbucks.
State-run food stores offered a limited choice of essentials, like meat, flour, oil and eggs. Milk, yoghurt, bread, bottled fruit and bai jiu China's version of moonshine were plentiful. But that's it.
"Now we can eat whatever we like without seasonal and geographical limitations," says Xu Yimin, editor-in-chief of Chinese and Foreign Food magazine, who lists the delicate but juicy dumplings of the Taiwanese chain Din Tai Fung as his favourite.
"Although food prices keep going up, peoples' love for tasty food hasn't changed," he said. "Eating has become a culture."
- AP
5:00AM Thursday July 31, 2008By Audra Ang
Today's Beijing is packed with eateries at every corner, open at all hours and offering regional cuisines of all kinds a reflection of China's stunning economic success after almost three decades of convulsive growth. Photo / AP
My last houseguest had 13 restaurants on his to-try list, including three renowned for succulent versions of crisp-skinned Peking duck, one popular for its tongue-tingling Sichuan cuisine and a Uighur joint, known as much for the ethnic minority's cumin-spiced lamb skewers as its exuberant floor show.
"I never thought Beijing would have so many things!" he said hungrily after hours of online research.
Gone are the days when the traditional Chinese greeting "Have you eaten yet?" seemed like a bad joke in the dour capital where, as recently as the 1980s, staples were rationed, state-run canteens dished out the slop of the day in chipped enamel bowls and restaurants were few and far between.
Today's Beijing is packed with eateries at every corner, open at all hours and offering regional cuisines of all kinds a reflection of China's stunning economic success after almost three decades of convulsive growth.
And the run-up to the Aug. 8 Beijing Olympics has underscored the quantum leap in the quality and variety of fare on offer, with menus and manners being polished in anticipation of the crowd of 500,000 visitors during the games.
From al dente hand-pulled noodles splashed with bracing black vinegar from Shanxi province in the north, to fingernail-sized chicken pieces buried in a mountain of dried chillies from Sichuan in the southwest, to the rich, sweet braises of the east, there is something to pique every palate. Don't forget the street food handmade pork buns, candied fruit and egg, lettuce and crisp fried dough rolled in a freshly made flour crepe, a Chinese burrito of sorts.
And that's just from within the country.
Sushi and sashimi? Ocean fresh. Persian grilled meats and stews? In the heart of the city. Fish and chips? Beer-batter or breadcrumbs, take your pick. Greek, Vietnamese, Italian, German, French, Ethiopian, Spanish, Singaporean, even kosher ... the list goes on.
"Simply put, we've gone from eating just to fill our stomachs to the stage where we are open to the complete pleasures of the dining experience," says Chitty Chung, editor-in-chief of Beijing's Food & Wine magazine.
That includes not only an awareness of a restaurant's environment, the chef's concepts, quality of service, the pairing of food and wine, and nutritional balance, but also a willingness try new things, says Chung, who recommends Dadong Roast Duck Restaurant not only for the namesake fowl, but also for its light modern twist on traditionally heavy Shandong fare.
"People's eyes are opening up and they are becoming more international. They are ready to accept and taste food from other parts of the world," she says. "The choices are far beyond your imagination."
So are the numbers.
There are more than 40,000 restaurants in Beijing, 90 percent of which are privately run a far cry from the few thousand state-owned eateries that were found on the streets during the early 1980s, says He Zhifu, secretary-general of the Beijing Association for Food and Beverage Industries.
They run the gamut from the simple (mom-and-pop dumpling place) to the showy (the starkly modern Green T. House, where dishes are decorated with curling tree branches, and the Whampoa Club, where roast spring onion ice-cream can be enjoyed in a dining room that sits beneath a massive glass goldfish pond) to the bizarre (Guo Li Zhuang which serves the penises and testicles of various animals dogs, yaks, ox cooked in a variety of ways.)
And some of the tastiest and most authentic regional treats can be found in the restaurants affiliated to the provincial government offices that have set up in the capital.
In all, Beijing's restaurants rake in more than $4 billion annually and the revenues are still growing, a lucrative streak that has boosted the street cred of the city's food scene and drawn big names despite tainted product scares last year.
Chef Daniel Boulud a cult favorite in New York who has grabbed headlines for his $150 ground sirloin burger filled with short ribs braised in red wine, foie gras and black truffles has just set up shop in a compound that used to house the U.S. Embassy. Le Pre Lenotre, sister restaurant of the three Michelin-star Le Pre Catelan in Paris, opened to great buzz in the Sofitel Wanda Beijing.
The also-very-French Fauchon is peddling its gourmet treats in a high-end mall and Philippe Starck designed the trippy, down-the-rabbit-hole Lan club and restaurant. Last month, Zagat, a global dining guide with a fierce hold on the American market, launched its Beijing edition.
"Beijing has a concurrence of circumstance at present," says Malcolm McLauchlan, general manager of 1949, The Hidden City, a cluster of ambitious restaurants overlooking the shady courtyard of a former factory.
He checked them off: a rapidly growing middle class, relatively little competition and Olympics-driven tourism.
Prior to the boom, the few and far between restaurants offered just a limited number of dishes. They opened late, closed early and were staffed by servers who seemed to take pride in being as disagreeable as possible. Their favorite phrase was "mei you," loosely translated to mean "we're out." Definitely no Haagen-Dazs, McDonald's or Starbucks.
State-run food stores offered a limited choice of essentials, like meat, flour, oil and eggs. Milk, yoghurt, bread, bottled fruit and bai jiu China's version of moonshine were plentiful. But that's it.
"Now we can eat whatever we like without seasonal and geographical limitations," says Xu Yimin, editor-in-chief of Chinese and Foreign Food magazine, who lists the delicate but juicy dumplings of the Taiwanese chain Din Tai Fung as his favourite.
"Although food prices keep going up, peoples' love for tasty food hasn't changed," he said. "Eating has become a culture."
- AP
Monday, July 28, 2008
What will the weather be like????
tips for travelers
shanghai starts the year shivering in midwinter, when temperatures can drop below freezing and the vistas are gray and misty. spring brings warmth; april to mid-may is probably one of the best times to visit there, along with autumn (late september to mid-november).
in summer the hot and humid weather makes conditions outside uncomfortable, with temperatures sometimes as high as 40°c (104°f) in july and august. in short, silk long johns and down jackets are needed in winter, an ice block for each armpit in summer and an umbrella wouldn't go astray in either of these seasons
shanghai starts the year shivering in midwinter, when temperatures can drop below freezing and the vistas are gray and misty. spring brings warmth; april to mid-may is probably one of the best times to visit there, along with autumn (late september to mid-november).
in summer the hot and humid weather makes conditions outside uncomfortable, with temperatures sometimes as high as 40°c (104°f) in july and august. in short, silk long johns and down jackets are needed in winter, an ice block for each armpit in summer and an umbrella wouldn't go astray in either of these seasons
Shanghai Facts
Shanghai (Chinese: 上海) is the largest city in China in terms of population and one of the largest urban areas in the world, with over 20 million people in its extended metropolitan area.[6] Located on China's central eastern coast at the mouth of the Yangtze River, the city is administered as a municipality with province-level status.[7]
Originally a fishing and textiles town, Shanghai grew to importance in the 19th century due to its favourable port location and as one of the cities opened to foreign trade by the 1842 Treaty of Nanking.[8] The city flourished as a center of commerce between east and west, and became a multinational hub of finance and business by the 1930s.[9] However, Shanghai's prosperity ground to a sharp halt after the 1949 Communist takeover and the subsequent cessation of foreign investment. After being allowed economic reforms in 1990, Shanghai is booming once more with intense development and financing, and in 2005 became the world's largest port.[10]
The city is an emerging tourist destination renowned for its historical landmarks such as the Bund and Xintiandi, its modern and ever-expanding Pudong skyline including the Oriental Pearl Tower, and its new reputation as a cosmopolitan center of culture and design.[11][12] Today, Shanghai is an important centre of commerce and finance. One conference paper has referred to it as a future global city[13] and the popular press have described it as the "showpiece" of the world's fastest-growing economy[14].
Originally a fishing and textiles town, Shanghai grew to importance in the 19th century due to its favourable port location and as one of the cities opened to foreign trade by the 1842 Treaty of Nanking.[8] The city flourished as a center of commerce between east and west, and became a multinational hub of finance and business by the 1930s.[9] However, Shanghai's prosperity ground to a sharp halt after the 1949 Communist takeover and the subsequent cessation of foreign investment. After being allowed economic reforms in 1990, Shanghai is booming once more with intense development and financing, and in 2005 became the world's largest port.[10]
The city is an emerging tourist destination renowned for its historical landmarks such as the Bund and Xintiandi, its modern and ever-expanding Pudong skyline including the Oriental Pearl Tower, and its new reputation as a cosmopolitan center of culture and design.[11][12] Today, Shanghai is an important centre of commerce and finance. One conference paper has referred to it as a future global city[13] and the popular press have described it as the "showpiece" of the world's fastest-growing economy[14].
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